Driven by technological advancements and a growing market acceptance, artificial intelligence has established itself as a strategic element for companies in Brazil. According to a survey by IPSOS and Google, 54% of Brazilians used generative AI in 2024, surpassing the global average of 48%. However, this accelerated growth also brings challenges, mainly regarding the security and governance of corporate data.
The arrival of DeepSeek, an open-source AI Chinese chatbot, intensified this debate. Launched discreetly in Brazil in January 2025, the platform quickly gained popularity and became a promising competitor to ChatGPT, from OpenAI, and the Gemini, do Google. After all, while these giants required billion-dollar investments, DeepSeek was created with a significantly tighter budget, raising doubts about the real necessity of these super investments.
The supposed efficiency and performance of the Chinese model suggest that, maybe, the AI market may be advancing along a more economical path, leading to reflection on the viability of such large investments in Western companies, whose business models now seem to be surpassed by more accessible and equally efficient alternatives.
Meanwhile, Deepseek raises critical questions, beyond the different ethical sensitivities. The open nature of the platform raises questions regarding security, logo, companies that use open source AI need to be mindful of preserving their information.
Recently, a Deepseek flaw exposed user prompts and API keys, increasing concerns about privacy in the system. Furthermore, various countries, like Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Netherlands and Italy, have restricted its use due to the risk of sharing information with Chinese servers.
AI in the corporate world: how to balance innovation and security
While some nations adopt a more cautious stance, Brazil is rapidly advancing in the adoption of artificial intelligence. The study by IPSOS and Google still shows that 65% of Brazilians see technology as promising, and 60% believe that it will create more jobs. Confidence in the transformation of the labor market by AI increased from 62% to 68% in a year, while the fear of job loss decreased from 20% to 15%.
For companies, this reality represents both an opportunity and a challenge. The growth of AI usage demands a balance between innovation and security, with guidelines that include a thorough risk assessment, implementation of transparency and governance, team training and partnerships with reliable suppliers. Adopting technologies like DeepSeek without a solid strategy can expose businesses to regulatory risks, information leaks and operational instabilities.
Furthermore, the lack of compliance with local data protection regulations and vulnerability to cyberattacks can compromise the integrity of the company, harming your reputation and the customer's trust. Therefore, it is essential that organizations conduct a careful assessment before implementing these technologies, ensuring that your choices are aligned with regulations and the protection of sensitive data, minimizing potential long-term losses.
A strategy that helps companies keep their cybersecurity always updated and efficient, for example, it is Security Lifecycle Management (SLM). She ensures that all stages of information protection – from risk identification to incident response – be constantly monitored and improved.
In practice, this means that security is not treated as something static, but rather as a continuous process. New threats arise all the time, and, therefore, it is essential to review, adjust and strengthen protective measures regularly. The SLM allows organizations to anticipate potential problems and keep their data and systems always protected. That is to say, the adoption of AI must be accompanied by clear compliance and security policies, ensuring that its use is aligned with corporate objectives and the protection of sensitive data.
Generative artificial intelligence is already part of the Brazilian business reality and will continue to expand in the coming years. The DeepSeek case highlights the need for a critical look at security and governance, but also reinforces the transformative potential of AI in the corporate world. Companies that know how to integrate this technology in a responsible and strategic way will have a competitive advantage, driving innovation and growth without compromising data protection and customer trust.
